Is Bartering Coming Back ?
I’ve been saying for a long time now that we are going backwards. Things that were once part of the past are becoming facts of today or the future.
On a similar vein I’ve also predicted the return of the barter economy as things tighten up and people perhaps realise they can’t spend money they don’t have
Well a couple of examples just popped up
A said to a friend over lunch a few weeks ago that I could see him repairing a laptop owned by a washing machine repair man in exchange for him fixing his washing machine - it makes sense and falls nicely in line with my Going Backwards Theory
Well, today I see that a pub in Lincolnshire is now bartering for beer !
The landlord says he cannot compete on price with the chain pubs or supermarkets so he’s bartering !
Vegetables and pheasants have already been exchanged as has the offer of painting and washing up - payment in pints.
This afternoon I finally got to the bottom of possible negotiations for a good book I was offered.
The owner said ideally he would like to swap it rather than have money - he wanted a second-hand Rolex watch !
First time that’s ever happened to me.
Start looking around you at things that are happening and you’ll soon start to spot how many things from the past are coming back - most of it I’m sorry to say for the worse. Even Rickets are coming back.
I won’t start on a list as it’s too extensive but suffice is to say I believe things will get a lot worse before they get any better and this generation will feel it the worst.
Previous generations have coped with hardship but I don’t see happening this in today’s society - too many people are too weak and too spoilt - they’re going to struggle as things tighten and everybody realises that money has to be earned not borrowed
Look for the signs of time travel - possibly share them here and leave a comment
Here’s one to get you started:
The return of electricity and gas meters - albeit electronic all the shops around Wybers Wood now have machines installed to put money on cards and keys for meters !
Shilling for the meter anyone ?
All the best
Rod
And just to prove we’ll have to share-and-share-alike here’s a picture I took of nature showing the way at
Bradley Woods
A Squirrel & Blue Tit Share the Spoils
Lydia said,
February 5, 2010 @ 9:18 pm
Yeah I think it’s right that the ‘old’ bartering system is on the way to come back, but I think that is a very good thing.
!
I barter myself and you can save a lot of money. Besides it is really fun. If somebody is interested I can recommend you the platform www.barterquest.com. It’s user-friendly and free. Be green and barter
Amiguru said,
February 5, 2010 @ 10:36 pm
Rod,
What’s a shilling? Well I can pretend I’m too young to know better can’t I?
After all, the great ornithologist Rod O’Twitch is pretending that the Great Tit is a Bluetit isn’t he?
N
le
chris keyworth said,
February 5, 2010 @ 11:02 pm
3d = thrupenny bit
6d = 1 tanner
4d = 1 groat
12d = 1 shilling
2s = 1 florin
2s6d = half a crown
5s = 1 crown
2f = 1 double florin
240d or 20 shillings = one pound or a sovereign
21 shillings = 1 guinea
cant you tel am board lol
Annie Flinn said,
February 5, 2010 @ 11:08 pm
Rod, et al,
Your statement of the monetary equivalents is way too complicated for this Yankette. When are you converting to the Euro (Okay, okay–stop throwing things at me)?
Annie
Rod said,
February 6, 2010 @ 8:29 am
Annie,
the funny thing here is taking a look at Chris’ great list of ‘old money’ as it was known i.e. pre decimal
People complained the new decimalization was complicated and trciky to understand
Oh and Chris . . . No mention of thrupenny bits the site content is changing
Best
Rod
the dinosaur said,
February 6, 2010 @ 9:11 am
Rod, I’ve just joined the commitee for our local Transition Town group, working to make society more able to cope with climate change and less dependant on oil etc. One of the immediate aims is to encourage people to grow their own food, something you already practice so I know this will interest you; one scheme is to introduce people with some land or a large garden that they can’t cultivate themselves, maybe because of their age or disability, to people without a garden who want to grow food to do the work and that they share the crop. Another idea is that as there’s a limit to the range of produce any one person can grow, we could organise a weekly fruit and vegetable swop, leeks for apples, carrots for onions etc. Sounds like a good idea to me!
Rod said,
February 6, 2010 @ 9:57 am
Dino,
I’m impressed - what a great idea and scheme.
You should check out the River Cottage Landshare Scheme as see if that’s any use to the group.
The idea of swapping veg is also perfect as those who grow itknow you tend to get a bit of a glut from time to time so to be able to swap some of the excess would be ideal.
I love the sound of the whole schem - well played sir !
Cheers
Rod
Amiguru said,
February 6, 2010 @ 9:59 am
Rod,
Can I trade my sister in for your camera equipment?
N
le
Rod said,
February 6, 2010 @ 10:05 am
Neville
If she looks like Abby Clancy - then possibly so
Femme Fatale said,
February 10, 2010 @ 1:16 pm
Rod,
Love the photo
FF
xx
Rod said,
February 10, 2010 @ 2:22 pm
FF,
many thanks, pleased you like it - there’s a full on photo gallery coming today
I’ve been working on it all day - nightmare !
Best
Rod
marcus short said,
February 15, 2010 @ 5:23 am
For me the barter system has been back for a while, i find great pleasure in bartering my hive products including mead with friends and others for services and goods. it is a much more satisfying system and keeps me from having to dirty myself with money it also removes the middle man(bank of england). i am always looking for trade so if theres anything you fancy trading for honey, candles , mead , beeswax , bees and hives dont hesitate to contact me.
Rod said,
February 15, 2010 @ 8:43 am
Hi Marcus,
thanks for the comments and welcome to the site - hope you’ll return.
It sounds like you’re ideally placed to be bartering and it’s great to hear it’s going on.
I suspect there will be a lot more o fit in the future once people twig the possibilities
All the best
Rod